Pleat former and retainer



Sept. 3, 1957 F. E. ASCHBACHER PLEAT FORMER AND RETAINER Filed June 4, 1954 FIG. 2

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drums-vs United States Patent 2,805,007 PLEAT FORMER AND RETAINER Frederick E. Aschbacher, Wilmette, Ill. Application June 4, 1954, Serial No. 434,634 Claims. (Cl. 223-34) This invention relates to a pleat former and retainer for drapes and the like and has for its primary object to guide the folds of a drape and hold them in pleated relation during the transportation of the pleated drapes and the hanging thereof.

Another object is to frictionally engage the folds of the drape and hold them in proper position during the setting of the pleats in the drape.

A further object is to enable the pleating device to be rolled and stored in a minimum of space, and selected lengths removed therefrom to be employed as pleaters and subsequently discarded.

A further object is to regulate the depth to which the folds of the drape enter the pleater.

The above and other objects may be attained by employing this invention which embodies among its features a disposable strip of semirigid material, and longitudinally spaced prongs carried by the strip and projecting laterally outwardly from one side thereof to define longitudinally spaced recesses for receiving folds of a drape and setting said folds in the drape.

Other features include opposite walls of the recesses converging as they approach the strip to pinch the folds of the drape adjacent the strip, opposite walls of the recesses being sinuous to offer resistance to the extraction of the folds of a drape from the recesses, and a gauge bar adjustably connected to selected prongs to define a stop for arresting entrance of the folds of a drape extending into the recesses at a selected distance from the strip.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a drape showing spaced pleat formers and retainers in place thereon in accordance with this invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the pleater in rolled condition;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary enlarged plan view of a pleater showing modified forms of prongs;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4, showing a further modification of the prongs;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view similar to Figure 4 of a modified form of the invention in which the pleater is formed of wire; and

Figure 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the pleater showing a guide bar adjustably connected thereto for engaging the depth to which the folds of a drape may enter the pleater.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the device illustrated in Figures 1 to 3 and generally designated 10, comprises a flat elongated strip 12 of semi-rigid material, which, as illustrated in Figure 3, may be rolled for storage. Opening at one end through one longitudinal side edge of the strip are transverse slots 16 defining longitudinally spaced prongs 14 having parallel side edges, in which slots pleats F of a drape are adapted to be folded and engaged, with the folds engaged in the closed ends of the slots. In employing the device of Figures 1 to 3, the drape is folded and the pleats F are introduced into the slots 16 between the prongs to retain the form of the pleats. From a roll of the strip a number of strips 12 may be severed and applied to the drape at vertically spaced points, as suggested in Figure 1.

In the form of the invention shown in Figure 4, the strip 12 is provided with longitudinally spaced tapering prongs 14 whose opposite side edges converge toward the free ends of the prongs to define V-shaped slots 16' whose narrower closed ends serve to pinch the folds of the pleats.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figure 5, the strip 12a is provided with longitudinally spaced prongs 14a, opposite side edges of which are sinuous to define sinuous slots 16a which engage the pleats of the drape and frictionally retain the pleats in place in the slots.

In the modification illustrated in Figure 6, the pleater designated generally 18 comprises a single strand of wire 20 which is bent back and forth upon itself to define slots 22 in which the pleats F of the drape may be received.

In the further modification illustrated in Figure 7, the pleater designated generally 24 comprises a strip 12b conforming in all respects to the strip 12 having prongs 14b defining between them drapery pleat receiving slots 16b. Selected prongs 14b are provided with longitudinal slots 26 through which extend bolts 28 carrying wing nuts 30, which bolts extend through an elongated gauge strip 32 to hold said gauge strip a selected distance from the closed ends of the slots to thereby regulate the depth of the slots 16]). Obviously, this device is employed in accordance with the structure previously described with the exception that the gauge strip 32 may be set to regulate the depth of the slots 16b in accordance with the desires of the user.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and de scribed the preferred embodiment of this invention, it is to be understood that minor changes in the details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. In a former and retainer for pleats of a drape, an elongated flat strip of semi-rigid rollable material, said strip having first and second longitudinal side edges, transverse slots in said strip having closed ends spaced from said first longitudinal edge and open ends opening through said second longitudinal edge, said slots defining prongs therebetween having free ends which are rounded.

2. A former and retainer according to claim 1 wherein the slots have side edges which are parallel to each other.

3. A former and retainer according to claim 1 wherein the slots have side edges which diverge from the closed ends of the slots as far as the open ends of the slots.

4. A former and retainer according to claim 1 wherein the slots have side edges which are serpentine throughout their length.

5. A former and retainer according to claim 1 wherein some of said prongs have slots extending longitudinally thereof, an elongated gauge bar lying across said prongs and along one side of the strip, and bolts traversing longitudinally spaced points of the gauge bar and engaged through the last mentioned slots, said gauge bar being adjustable' transversely of the strip toward and away from the closed ends of the first mentioned slots to adjust their effective lengths.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Tnbbs Oct. 18,1955 

